It would be very difficult to wheedle it down to just a certain section of the population so therefore as we have so many children now that are going to school at the age of 4 who can't even talk properly, should parenting classes become compulsory from birth right the way through with more annual and monthly or even weekly checks on parents whose children are not meeting the requirements?

I am so sick f seeing children with poor personal skills, who can't talk, who are behind by so much before they have even stepped foot into their reception year at school coming through our schooling systems. Not only does their lack of upbringing cost them dearly, it also means that the other pupils in the class who are up to scratch are left to ester whilst the teacher spends their time working with the children who need the most support all because at home they are not getting what they need.

Obviously in this I am not picking on the children with genuine learning difficulties such as disleyxics just children's whose problems literally stem from poor parenting.

It's an interesting thought and it would provide good advice and practical ideas.

However, I can't help but feel that it should be a "compulsory if you need extra help" thing. There are plenty of parents out there who are fully capable of bringing their children up to the best of the child's ability and would probably feel offended at any suggestion otherwise.

I agree with more frequent visits from health visitors or similar as I haven't had a visit since Louis was 6 weeks old and for all they know he could be living in a filthy cesspit and surviving off pop tarts and cola. (he's not lol)

More frequent visits would help with knowing who to refer to parenting classes that, I agree, should be compulsory.

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"The worst feature of a new baby is it's mother's singing."- Kim Hubbard

Some valid points there, I feel that health visitors need to make more visits then from what you have said, because parents who throw up their children with no manners or personal skills seem to be becoming the majority in so many areas at the moment.

I can't stand hearing, "oh its ok, i'll have another baby, won't have to work then for another 4 years." I really hope the government go ahead with their proposal of only supporting with benefits upto 3 children per household. I don't think thats wrong at all, if you are living off the state as your only source of income and having babies like there is no tomorrow, why should the support you beyond that number? without the benefits, would you be able to support them? no. Children will hopefully be brought into families that want them and want to be parents for more than just a ticket off work for a few years.